It's that time of year again! Keep an eye out for your 2004 Right to Know Report, also commonly referred to as “Consumer Confidence” or “Water Quality” reports. This report will provide you with information about the source of your drinking water, contaminants that were detected in the water during the 2003 calendar year, the likely source of the contamination, important health information--especially for people who are more likely to be harmed by common drinking water contaminants, and information on how you can get involved in protecting your drinking water. Under the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act all water suppliers are required to produce an annual report informing their customers about the source and quality of their drinking water.

Water Suppliers are required to mail this information to all bill paying customers by July 1st. If you have not received a copy of this report or you live in an apartment and do not pay for your water, contact your local water utility to request a copy. To find out more information about how to contact your water supplier or to access the report on line visit EPA’s drinking water web site.

For more information on Right to Know Reports, including what information is required to be included in the reports, view our Making Sense brochure below.

Resources

Making Sense of Drinking Water Right to Know Reports
Updated in the Fall of 2002, following initial publication in 1999, this fact sheet provides a broad understanding of Right to Know Reports, answers many questions about drinking water and provides resources for more information. Download the Making Sense fact sheet (PDF file). If you don't have Adobe PDF Reader, click here to download it for free.

LEAF Fact Sheet
The Legal Environmental Assistance Fund (LEAF) has created a fact sheet to help you better understand these reports. View the LEAF fact sheet online or contact them for hard copies at leaf@leaflaw.org.

NRDC's "What's on Tap?" Report
In June 2003, the Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water and it's member groups participated in the release of a Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study of drinking water quality which found deteriorating water infrastructure and pollution threaten the municipal drinking water supplies of 19 U.S. cities.

To view the full report and other materials please visit NRDC's web site at www.nrdc.org.

Measuring Up: Grading the First Round of Right To Know Reports
Given the importance of information in the reports and their potential power, CSADW graded reports from around the country to analyze how well water suppliers followed federal guidelines for the first round of reports. While 45% of reports contained declarations that the water is "safe," it is important to take a closer look.

You can download the full report in Adobe PDF format or contact us to request a copy. If you don't have Adobe PDF Reader, click here to downoad it for free.